Real Madrid: Ranking the 5 best under-25 players heading into 2021-22

1. EDER MILITAO

And, after an excruciatingly long buildup, here we have our winner. The best under-25 Real Madrid player in my opinion is none other than our reliable central defender, Eder Militao. Militao has been a name on every Madridistas’ mouth as the biggest breakout of the season. He was also featured in our list of breakout stars of the 2020-21 season.

There was a point of time in the season when I as many other fans found myself saying that Militao gave me the kind of assurance Sergio Ramos did when he started at center-back and that itself is an achievement. Getting your fans to believe in you is a big deal and Eder Militao did just that in the way that he stepped up following Sergio Ramos’s injury and Raphael Varane’s contraction to COVID-19.

Statistically, his record was phenomenal. In the league, the Brazilian averaged 1.4 in tackles, 1.4 in interceptions, and 2.9 in clearances per 90 minutes. If this sounds good to you, let me throw you his stats in the Champions League – 3.3 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, and 2.8 clearances per 90 minutes in a campaign where he could start only five times and was subbed on once, per WhoScored. That is a great record, all thanks to his disciplined play, he rarely sets a wrong foot forward.

Another key feature in Militao’s play is his reliability in the air. He was very famously nicknamed, ‘Air Militao’ for his exceptional aerial prowess. He won 1.7 and 2.2 duels in the air every 90 minutes in the Champions League and La Liga respectively. His two goal contributions also were products of his aerial play, one headed assist to Karim Benzema in the Champions League that helped Real Madrid equalize against Chelsea in their semi-final first leg at home. And, the second a headed goal against Osasuna in a 2-0 home victory in the league.

The next important thing about his play is his closing in speed. There were numerous occasions in the league as well as the Champions League when we saw forwards rushing at the Real Madrid goal and Militao running back at them and winning the race. Especially, the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Liverpool FC at Anfield comes to mind, a game where he registered seven clearances. He undoubtedly is Real Madrid’s best under-25 player currently on the basis of his performances as well as his promising signs of improvement in the near future.